Philadelphia Junior Elite: Recap and Top Performers

Coming off the heels of a great Top 100 in Philadelphia Friday night, the Hoop Group Philly Jr. Elite took place Saturday at Competitive Edge Sports Complex in King of Prussia. The first of three Jr. Elite clinics this fall, Hoop Group welcomed players grades five through nine to the Philadelphia on Saturday. The huge turnout was a great way to start the Jr. Elite season this fall.

One thing the Junior Elite Clinic offers is the wide age range among players. On one end of the spectrum you see a fifth grader who is trying to work on his game for the upcoming travel season, and on the other end is a freshman who is ready to make a splash in his first season at the high school level. We saw a number of freshman on Saturday who appear ready to step their game up to a new level this winter. Of these players were Brent Corcoran (Pope John Paul II ’18) and Shackylle Dezonie (Allentown Central Catholic ’18), two 6’4 freshman with great size and skill. There was also Jack Reichenbach (Notre Dame-Green Pond ’18) and Leeron Wills-Worthy (Constitution ’18). We were lucky to watch these guys play. They possess a solid skill set which should allow them to be successful at the high school level.
While those players are ready to begin their high school careers, the majority of players at the event are trying to establish themselves prior to entering into high school. One of the most impressive players of the day was Philadelphia native Mikeal Jones. Mikeal was one of the most dominant players on the floor at times and showed how high of a ceiling he has. There is no doubt that he will be a big time player when he gets to high school. In addition to Mikeal, Bryce Calloway was another eighth grader who has a bright future when he gets to high school. Bryce is 5’11 and has a skill set that is increasing everyday. It will be fun to watch how he does.Noah Klinewski and Julian Thomas were also in Philly after attending Junior Elite Camp in the Poconos this summer. Noah is a fun player to watch because of how hard he competes. He is a leader on the floor both with his hustle and with his voice. Julian impressed us Saturday as well and was probably the best seventh grade player in attendance. Seeing these familiar faces is the one of the highlights for us. It’s a reminder of how many guys are looking to get better any chance they get. Here are all the guys who attended Junior Elite both in the summer and in the fall:

Lastly, one major advantage to the Junior Elite and Top 100 clinics is the player evaluations everyone receives as the exit the event. After their day ends, players walk home with a report card that grades them on their game. The report card helps players identify their strengths as well as pinpoint areas they can improve. This is a crucial age for players to raise their skills and these report cards can help them do so. Additionally, players get their height, wingspan, standing reach and vertical jump tested during registration. These measurements allow players to know where they are at physically, and also compare their new scores to previous and future ones. Here is a list of all recorded measurements from the Philly Jr. Elite:

A special thanks to the coaches, staff, parents and players for making the first Fall Junior Elite such a great success. The next Junior Elite will be on October 5th in Hoop Group Headquarters for the Metro Jr. Elite. You can always afford to get extra work in before you season starts this winter. We hope to see you there!